digitaldots.info The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner The more we learn about environmental accountability, the more we realise that this is a massively complex topic. Everywhere we see clever ideas for improving the sustainability of the graphics industry, yet equally we see evidence of how far we have yet to go. How we progress as … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Paper is one of the world’s most readily recycled materials. It is based on a renewable resource that aids in the expansion of our planet’s lung capacity. Paper may be our most pervasive substrate, but it is not the only material used in printing and publishing applications. In … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner We’re gearing up for the next round of ISO meetings, including a couple of days devoted to environmental standards. We’re expecting a packed house, with participants from all over the world, so no pressure. Environmental standards are a delicate area, because some powerful vested interests have much to … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner The graphics industry is massive and yet the number of printing organisations with more than 500 employees is small. This means that very large customers buy their print from a host of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Such organisations tend to be under the radar for most … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Within the graphics industry there are numerous examples of companies’ efforts to improve energy generation and management. And there is ISO 50001, the standard for energy management to which companies such as Agfa and Kodak have certified compliance. But Fujifilm has gone far beyond these efforts at its … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is expensive, takes a long time and can be fiendishly complex. Companies who undertake it generally do so in order to demonstrate the environmental credentials of their product or service. But there are other more nuanced reasons for doing LCA, such as providing proof … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Arguments for using digital technology for textile printing are pretty much the same as for using it in any other print sector. Markets appreciate bespoke short run options, customisation and on demand production. Digital printing cuts waste and improves cost control through inventory minimisation. Collapsing traditional supply chains … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke made a bold admission during the company’s drupa press conference. He said that: “the print industry is a dirty industry … one of the things we can do is to clean up the dirty chemicals.” A key technology for achieving this goal is water … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Changing behaviours is what environmental awareness and regulation is all about. The graphics industry has come a long way as far as sustainability goes, steadily improving its environmental impact for the last few decades. This has mostly been to improve its bottom line, cutting waste and process inefficiencies … Read more
The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner Now that drupa 2016’s over, we can start hoping that at drupa 2020 the environmental will be in sharper focus. This year’s organisers missed a great opportunity to take the sustainability lead. Drupa 2016’s attendance and sales numbers show that print is in rude health. Investment into print … Read more